Accordingly, from February 4 to 12, Aikya Pharma provided 270,000 face masks, of which 50,000 were given to the Border Guard High Command, 50,000 to the Ministry of Public Security’s units and 20,000 for a field hospital under the Hanoi Capital High Command. In addition, 30,000 masks were also provided to the National Assembly (NA) Television Channel for distribution by the NA’s unit.

The free mask donation programme is being held on a national scale, in many "hot spots" and large hospitals, such as Viet Duc Hospital (Hanoi), Cai Lay General Hospital in Tien Giang Province, Tra Vinh Province General Hospital and the National Lung Hospital (Hanoi).

Deputy Director of National Lung Hospital, Dr. Dinh Van Luong, said: “The number of inpatients at the hospital at the beginning of 2020 is always high, ranging from 700-800 patients. Not to mention physicians and medical staff at the hospital, at nearly 1,000 people, and the patients' family members also account for a large number. All of them need to be equipped with face masks. Therefore, this help from Aikya Pharma is extremely meaningful.”

Providing guidance on wearing a face mask properly at the National Lung Hospital in Hanoi.

Notably, on February 13, at the headquarters of the Vinh Phuc Provincial People's Committee, the VOI and Aikya Pharma donated 20,000 medical masks to the northern province, which is currently hosting the highest number of Covid-19 infection cases in the country with 11 patients, in order to provide the best support for Vinh Phuc in the prevention of the coronavirus epidemic.

Vietnam has recorded 16 infections so far, with 11 of them in Vinh Phuc. The province has isolated Son Loi Commune in Binh Xuyen District, where recording five positive cases in Vinh Phuc so far, to prevent and control the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in the area.

Seven Covid-19 patients among the 16 cases have already recovered and were discharged from hospital.

Distributing free medical masks at Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi.

According to a representative from Aikya Pharma, during this period, the group will temporarily suspend sales of medical masks to retail market to focus on supplying the masks to key units in the prevention of Covid-19, as well as distributing free face masks in hospitals, schools and airports to join hands with the community in disease prevention.

Ha Ngoc Son, Chairman of Aikya Pharma, said: “We are trying to mobilise more personnel to boost production and distribute more face masks. Production capacity has now tripled and we have just installed a new production line on February 12. We are expected to provide more masks to support the most needed units.”

Aikya Pharma pledges to donate and distribute face masks until the elimination of the Covid-19 epidemic, Son affirmed.

According to the Ministry of Health infectious disease surveillance system, as of 8 am on February 14, the world has recorded 64,171 cases of Covid-19 infection, of which 63,584 cases and 1,483 deaths have been recorded in mainland China.